Don Imus, referred to the Rutgers University women's basketball team as "nappy headed hos" on his April 5th show. He and his producer then used two other demeaning words, but according to Imus, those words were used in a discussion about a Spike Lee movie.

Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are all over this. CBS and MSNBC have suspended the Imus Show for two weeks - saying, according to Capitol Hill Blue:

"Our future relationship with Imus is contingent on his ability to live up to his word,"

I have just a couple of thoughts about this:

1) Sharpton, on his radio show today, called Imus to the pious alter of white American guilt (Sharpton has this alter with him at all times). Imus apologized. One of Sharpton's points to Imus was that such language was disrespectful to his daughters, especially the term "hos." I certainly agree with that. It's an egregious slur against women, but what about Black rap, and White rap? and Hispanic rap? Sharpton is against violent rap music. He has called for a ban on violent rap and gotten no where with it. Using the word "ho," if that is indeed how "whore" is spelled in this culture, is all over the music scene, not to mention the streets. Consider the 2005 Academy Award for Original Song:"It's Hard out Here for a Pimp."

Before moving on, here's the words to this Academy winner (our thanks to the Academy):

You know it's hard out here for a pimp (you ain't knowin)When he tryin to get this money for the rent (you ain't knowin)For the Cadillacs and gas money spent (you ain't knowin)Because a whole lot of bitches talkin sh** (you ain't knowin)Will have a whole lot of bitches talkin sh** (you ain't knowin)

In my eyes I done seen some crazy thangs in the streetsGotta couple hoes workin on the changes for meBut I gotta keep my game tight like Kobe on game nightLike takin from a ho don't know no better, I know that ain't rightDone seen people killed, done seen people dealDone seen people live in poverty with no mealsIt's f***** up where I live, but that's just how it isIt might be new to you, but it's been like this for yearsIt's blood sweat and tears when it come down to this sh**I'm tryin to get rich 'fore I leave up out this bitchI'm tryin to have thangs but it's hard fo' a pimpBut I'm prayin and I'm hopin to God I don't slip, yeah

Man it seems like I'm duckin dodgin bullets everydayNiggaz hatin on me cause I got, hoes on the trayBut I gotta stay paid, gotta stay above waterCouldn't keep up with my hoes, that's when sh** got harderNorth Memphis where I'm from, I'm 7th Street boundWhere niggaz all the time end up lost and never foundMan these girls think we prove thangs, leave a big headThey come hopin every night, they don't end up bein deadWait I got a snow bunny, and a black girl tooYou pay the right price and they'll both do youThat's the way the game goes, gotta keep it strictly pimpinGotta have my hustle tight, makin change off these women, yeah

Sharpton doesn't like this music. He has made that very clear...but he hasn't gotten anywhere with his objections. No one can make a louder noise than Sharpton...yet the rappers aren't hearing him. He can get Imus suspended for two weeks, but he fails to even call out the names of the very rappers spewing the vilest music - music that is polluting not only the Black community, but the White as well. Sharpton is better than this - when he chooses to be. He passed on calling out specific billionaire rappers and moved on to a White Don Imus.

2) Halle Berry is appearing in a movie now in production "Nappily Ever After." Berry's character shaves her head after a relationship break-up. The movie, based on the novel of the same name, evidently portrays the protaganist as insecure about her nappy mane. The story belies the title: Nappily Ever After, evidently,"not" so nappily happy.

Sharpton told Imus that the word "nappy" is racial. Our hair is what it is. It's either straight, straight as a stick, curly, corkscrewy curley, nappy or whatever. It is what it is. I recently heard that having red hair is a sign having a defective gene. Redheads are often called carrot tops. Blondes are considered dim. Imus wears a hat most days. It's easier. Get out of bed, skip the brush, grab the hat and be a big star. It's just hair.

I think Don Imus' words were rude and disgusting. I think Rosie O'Donnell is rude and disgusting...so many in the public eye are rude and disgusting. The song above is rude and disgusting (I wonder if "snow bunny" refers to a White woman? - and if so, just what does snow bunny mean?). We accept rude and unacceptable behavior from our children. We allow youth gangs. We don't have to, but we do. We accept fifth graders having sex in school when the teacher leaves the room, and other students watch. My gosh! We allow the ACLU to defend NAMBLA. The Black community allows the use of "hos." The list is endless.

I do not think the Don Imus Show should be suspended, if for no other reason than Sharpton called for it. I really wish that Imus had been "Imus" and issued his apology from his own show. Forget Sharpton. He's a power monger - much of his career made on the backs of his followers who misdeeds conveniently get Al in front of a camera.

If CBS and MSNBC want Imus gone, that's fine. We all have a boss at sometime in our life. Rosie should be gone, in my opinion, but I respect her right to be there, her boss' right to keep her there, and my right to tune out. We need to tune out. We don't need Al Sharpton scolding our morals.

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Linked by others talking about Halle Berry:Halle Berry April 10, 2007 Excerpt: The nights we spend apart alone I need to get back home to cool cool rain I can’t sleep and I lay and I think The night is hot and black as ink Oh God, I need a drink of cool cool rain

Others talking about Imus and his self-inflicted wounds:And Now a Word from the The Radio Patriot. Excerpt:IMUS IS DONE. His career is dead. MSNBC says it will no longer carry the Imus in the Morning radio show for calling the Rutgers women's basketball players "nappy-headed hos."

Others talking about really important issues:Families United for Our Troops and Their Mission #2 from Wake up America

3 comments:

I still have mixed feelings over the whole Imus ordeal. Part of me believes he's getting what he deserves and the other part of me thinks its really that big of a deal. If you haven't seen it already, you should check out this story over at Highbrid Nation. The guy who wrote it worked at WFAN with Imus and gives some interesting insight into whether the man is really a racist or not. Check it out if you get a chance.

Cross-posted by Maggie at Maggie's Notebook Who is this man? U.S. Supreme Court Building in Washington D.C. U.S. Supreme Court J...

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